The following invention relates to racks attachable to vehicles which are adapted to carry golf bags thereon. More particularly, this invention relates to racks which attach to vehicles through a hitch receiver and which can carry both golf bags alone or golf bag and hand pull cart assemblies with a variable number of golf bags borne by the rack and with the rack being adjustable in both width and depth.
To play the game of golf, a player must first travel with golf clubs to the location of the golf course, typically requiring travel of significant distances upon vehicle roadways. The size of most golf bags is sufficiently great that most vehicles cannot carry as many golf bags as passengers. This disparity is particularly great when wheeled hand pull carts are attached to the golf bags. For instance, a typical four to six seat sedan style vehicle has a trunk which cannot easily accommodate more than two golf bags with attached hand pull carts. While perhaps additional golf bags could be forced into the vehicle trunk, the resulting risk of damage to golf clubs and vehicle makes such attempts inadvisable.
Patents to Stark (U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,227), D""Angelo (U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,738) and Armour (D409,557) each teach golf club racks which attach to hitch receivers of a vehicle and which are configured to carry one or two golf bags thereon. These prior art golf bag racks are deficient in a number of important respects. First, they are not capable of carrying more than two golf bags thereon so that the vehicle is still potentially capable of carrying more passengers than golf bags. Second, these prior art golf bag racks include rimed bases which restrict the size of golf bag which may be placed upon the golf bag rack, excluding the possibility of supporting both the golf bag and an attached hand pull cart. Third, when these prior art golf bag racks are utilized to carry a single golf bag they do not readily accommodate placement of that single golf bag in a balanced fashion along a center line of the rack. Fourth, they are not in any way collapsible when not in use and so pose a hazard to the driver which might be otherwise mitigated. Fifth, the prior art golf bag racks are limited in their ability to secure the golf bag to the rack. They typically include only a single strap or chain near an upper portion of the golf bag, such that a risk of the golf bag bouncing unnecessarily or becoming dislodged from the rack is created.
Accordingly, a need exists for a golf bag rack which can attach to the vehicle and flexibly accommodate up to three golf bags and attached hand pull carts in a secure fashion. Such a rack would beneficially be collapsible in width when a fewer number of bags are being supported and collapsed in depth when not in use.
This invention provides a golf bag rack which is attachable to a vehicle through a hitch receiver extending from the vehicle. The rack includes a tongue which is secured directly to the hitch receiver. The tongue is preferably sized to match a larger 2 inch size standard hitch receiver and the rack includes an adapter to allow the tongue to be securely fixed to a smaller 1xc2xc inch size standard vehicle hitch receiver.
A rigid mast preferably extends vertically up from the tongue. The mast includes an elongate cross bar which extends horizontally away from an upper end of the mast. The cross bar is configured to include straps which can secure in an adjustable fashion to an upper portion of golf bags placed adjacent the cross bar. The cross bar is preferably expandable in lateral width so that a spacing between outboard golf bags or golf bag and hand pull cart assemblies can be accommodated.
The rack includes a base which is pivotably attached to the mast of the rack. The base preferably is made up of three platforms including a central platform and two side platforms. The side platforms are slidably attached to the central platform along an under bar secured to a beam beneath the central platform. The beam includes fingers and a pivot pin which pivotably attach the beam, and hence the entire base, to the mast. The base can thus be pivoted between a first substantially horizontal orientation when the base is to be used to support golf bags thereon and a second substantially vertical orientation when the rack is not in use.
When the side platforms are laterally spaced away from the central platform the central platform and side platforms can together accommodate three golf bag and hand pull cart assemblies adjacent each other. Straps on the side platforms and the central platform secure lower portions of the golf bag and hand pull cart securely to the base.
When the side platforms are slid into position adjacent the central platform, two golf bags and hand pull cart assemblies can be supported adjacent each other and resting partially upon each of the side platforms and partially upon the central platform. The cross bar can be decreased in length to a minimum width which provides straps conveniently where desired for such a two bag configuration for the rack.
When one golf bag and hand pull cart is to be carried, the one golf bag and hand pull cart rest upon the central platform with straps on the central platform securing a lower portion of the golf bag and with a top strap on the mast securing an upper portion of the golf bag. Hence, when either one, two or three golf bags and hand pull carts are supported upon the rack the rack maintains lateral balance relative to a center line of the rack.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which is attachable to a hitch receiver of a vehicle and can support at least one golf bag thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which can support one, two or three golf bags thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which can accommodate up to three golf bag and hand pull cart assemblies thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which is collapsible to have a minimum depth when not in use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which is adjustable in width to keep the rack with a width similar to a width of the golf bags being supported upon the rack.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which is lightweight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which has various different components securely and rigidly coupled together and with sufficient strength to support three of the heaviest conceivable golf bag and hand pull cart assemblies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag rack which can be easily assembled and disassembled for shipping and storage and which can be easily attached and detached from a vehicle having either a standard 2 inch hitch receiver or a smaller 1xc2xc inch hitch receiver.
Other further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the included drawing figures, the claims and detailed description of the invention.